Pneumonia's Hidden Toll: Why Older Adults in France Are at Risk

Pneumococcal disease (PD) is a serious issue in France, especially for adults with other health problems or those over 65. A recent study looked at data from 2015 to 2018 to understand how big this problem is. The study found that out of nearly 8 million adults with other health issues, about 122 out of every 100, 000 people had to be hospitalized because of PD. This number was even higher for those over 65 and for people with medium or high health risks. In total, over 41, 000 adults were hospitalized due to PD. More than half of these patients were over 65, and sadly, about 26. 5% of them died within a year of their first hospitalization. The study shows that PD is a big problem in France, especially for older adults and those with other health conditions. Even though there is a vaccine to prevent PD, many people who are eligible for it are not getting it. This highlights the need for better vaccination coverage. Recently, France has expanded the vaccination program to include all adults over 65, regardless of their health status. This could help reduce the burden of PD in the country.